Coach Jordi Fernández desires his Nets to indicate extra combat once they attempt to finish their newest shedding streak at Toronto on Thursday. AP photograph by Pamela Smith
The Brooklyn Nets discovered a helpful lesson in opposition to the NBA’s finest Cleveland Cavaliers on the Barclays Middle downtown on Monday evening.
“Combat” to the top, in any other case there will probably be “penalties”.
Nets coach Jordi Fernández made that time clear within the postgame press convention after Brooklyn’s no-show in a 130-101 loss to the Cavaliers.
A day after beating fearless chief Dennis Schröder, the Nets (10-16) took a 7-0 lead in opposition to former Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson’s workforce.
That was the top of the aggressive portion of the competition as Cleveland scored 37 of the subsequent 47 factors en path to handing the Nets their third straight lack of the season and sixth in seven video games.
“We began the sport effectively, then we bought punches within the face, then we did not have the cohesion, the combat to come back again and maintain hitting,” the 41-year-old rookie coach stated.
Brooklyn ought to have an opportunity to get again within the win column north of the border on Thursday once they go to the Toronto Raptors (7-20), who’ve misplaced 5 in a row, 4 in a row at house and rank second. final within the Jap Convention.
Toronto practically ended its skid at Scotiabank Area on Monday, however Chicago held on for a 122-121 triumph regardless of 32 factors from RJ Barrett and 27 from Gradey Dick.
The Raptors performed their second straight recreation with out All-Star ahead Scottie Barnes attributable to a sprained proper ankle. The workforce’s second-leading scorer at 20.4 factors per recreation is listed as questionable at Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. tipoff.
The Nets are nonetheless awaiting the return of main scorer Cam Thomas from a hamstring harm that has sidelined him for the previous month.
Brooklyn will even be with out ahead Ziaire Williams (knee) and reserve Trendon Watford (hamstring) in Toronto.
With Schröder gone, the Nets may get a take a look at one of many gamers they bought in alternate for his or her place to begin guard.
Speedy rookie guard Reece Beekman solely logged two minutes in two video games with the Warriors, however bought to see extra motion in a Brooklyn uniform.
Regardless of being only a half-game out of the ultimate play-in event spot within the East, the Nets probably will not be performed buying and selling.
Cam Johnson, averaging a career-high 18.6 factors per recreation, can also be reportedly on the commerce market. He made up for a lot of the loss with Thomas out, scoring 22.4 factors in 5 video games this month.
Disinterested within the altering state of his roster attributable to accidents or trades, Fernández merely appears to place within the effort, even when his workforce loses to better-equipped groups.
“Whoever wears our jersey will combat tougher than that, and if he does not, he will not be a part of this membership,” he harassed.
Brooklyn has misplaced its final two video games by a complete of 45 factors. This must change in Toronto if the Nets wish to hear no extra about their fiery helmsman.
“Those that are right here should combat. And in the event that they don’t combat, there will probably be penalties,” warned Fernández.
NOTHING BUT NET: Thomas, averaging 24.7 factors earlier than his harm at Golden State on Nov. 25, has not but been cleared for contact when basketball actions resume. Williams, who averaged a career-high 8.6 factors in his first 21 video games as a Web, has been restricted in capturing since his Dec. 1 loss to Orlando at Barclays Middle. … The Nets will return to Brooklyn on Saturday evening to host Utah at 7:30 p.m. earlier than embarking on a two-game street journey by means of Miami on Monday and Milwaukee subsequent Thursday. …Brooklyn received three of 4 conferences with Toronto final season, together with a 96-88 victory final time they visited Scotiabank behind 19 factors from Watford, together with 11 within the fourth quarter. Watford injured his hamstring within the first half of Monday’s loss to the Cavs after scoring eight factors in 10 minutes.
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